Courage
by SoulSoprano
Summary: This is my first fanfic, so if you don't like it, please do not hate on me... It's a AkuRoku one-shot, set in the Kingdom hearts world. (i'm really bad at summaries, but there you go.) No real lemon, but theres still some making out. if you don't like this, then don't read romance. it's just that simple.


**This is my first fanfic, so if you don't like it, please do not hate on me...**

**No real lemon, but theres still some making out. if you don't like this, then don't read romance. it's just that simple.**

**Discalaimer: I do not own these characters. They own me. And always will.**

* * *

"Axel!" Roxas shouted as a new wave of Heartless hit, overtaking him. "You – stupid – Heartless," he said as he struggled with the horde.

Suddenly he felt a wave of heat pass by his face, and he ducked, narrowly avoiding the second flaming chakram sailing through the air towards him.

As he swung his Keyblade, taking out the rest of the Heartless, he shouted over his shoulder at Axel: "Next time you're going to toss those things around near my head, _warn me first!_"

Even without looking behind him, Roxas could hear the smile in Axel's voice as he replied. "I hate to break it to you, shorty, but _these things_ just saved your ass, so don't be complaining!"

Roxas laughed as he hit another Heartless. "Well, that seems to be all of them," he said as he looked around. Pausing, he looked over at the flame-coloured-haired pyro. "Hey, wanna go get some ice cream?" he asked, grin forming.

Axel smiled, opening up a Darkness Door. "You'll meet me at the clock tower?" he replied.

Roxas nodded as he rushed off to get the ice cream.

xXx

Roxas stepped out of his Darkness Door to find Axel sitting on the edge of the tower, feet dangling over the side. "Two sea-salt ice creams, coming right up," he said, sitting himself down beside Axel, and holding one of the ice creams out to his friend.

"Thanks," he said, taking the cold treat. He looked out at the sunset, burning red in the sky. "Y'know, sometimes I wish we didn't have to collect hearts all the time – we could sit here all day instead."

Roxas looked at him curiously, blue eyes questioning. "Wouldn't it get boring after a while?" He asked.

The serious mood evaporated as Axel flashed his trademark grin at the blonde. "Are you saying you think I'm boring?" He asked, teasing.

"Oh, no – I – I would never –" Roxas started, but the redhead cut him off.

"Relax. I'm joking."

Roxas heard, but he didn't acknowledge the comment – he was lost in sudden reverie.

Axel snapped in the boy's face, attempting to bring him back to reality. "Yo, Roxas!" He said, and Roxas jerked, startled.

"Wh – What?"

"You zoned out on me for a little bit there." Axel went back to his ice cream, licking the side to prevent it from dripping on him.

Looking back at the sunset, Roxas found its colours hypnotizing – much like Axel's hair. He shook himself to rid the thought from his head.

xXx

Roxas thought about the whole reason he had wanted to come to the clock tower today. "No… not yet. I'm not ready yet," he muttered under his breath.

"Huh?" Axel turned his head towards the young blonde, who blushed and looked away. "N – Nothing," he said.

He sat like that for a while, not looking back at Axel, not until he was sure he wasn't blushing anymore.

"Hey, Roxas, your ice creams melting – eat up." The voice startled him, making him jump. Axel continued. "What's going on, Rox? You seem kind of out of it today. You couldn't even concentrate on fighting Heartless earlier."

"Axel, I –" Roxas turned to face him and cut off. _No. I can't do this. Not now. Not yet._ He thought.

Axel looked at him inquisitively, his head cocking to one side, a single eyebrow raised in a questioning manner.

"I –" Roxas tried again, but to no avail. He couldn't say it. He couldn't.

_Courage. It can be the difference between a win and a loss. Got it memorized?_

Axel's words, a lesson on courage came into his mind. _Courage,_ he thought, _that's what I need now. It might not be a battle, but the stakes are still there._

A furious blush burned his face as he turned back to Axel, Stuttering. "I – I… Axel, I –" He still couldn't do it, dammit.

Seeing the laughter beginning in his friend's eyes made him stop. He almost told Axel to forget about it, but then he saw the understanding and something that could possibly be relief in his gaze.

Realizing he wouldn't be able to get the words out any time soon, Roxas leaned forwards and pressed his lips against Axel's.

Startled, the older teen drew back, gasping in surprise. "Roxas –" he started, but was cut off.

"Sorry. I – I shouldn't have done that. I – that was stupid of me." Roxas started to get up, face burning from shame, but a hand grabbed his wrist stopping him.

"What was that, Roxas?" The redhead asked, his gaze riveted intently on Roxas.

Roxas could've sworn that the blush was covering his whole body by now. "I – just forget it, okay?"

"I don't think that's possible, Rox." Roxas was still looking away, but he felt the slight tug on his wrist as Axel stood. "No, definitely _not_ possible."

The next thing Roxas knew, Axel's hands were on his shoulders, spinning him around. He barely had time to blink before the older teen's lips covered his, effectively stopping his train of thought in its tracks. Purely out of reflex, Roxas brought his hand up, running his fingers through the long, crimson strands of Axel's hair. One of Axel's hands slid from his shoulder to his lower back, pressing their bodies closer together. The other slid to the back of his neck, tilting his head back and deepening the kiss.

Roxas felt a tongue press against his mouth, and he parted his lips, granting access.

He felt himself being pushed against a wall, and suddenly, the pressure on his lips disappeared, only to start up again on his neck. Groaning, he leaned his head back against the brick, eyes still closed.

Gradually, the trail of kisses made its way back to his mouth one final time.

Slowly, Axel lifted his mouth from Roxas', breathing heavily.

Roxas opened his eyes, staring up at the flaming hair; the shining eyes. "But – I – you – I thought –" Apparently, his brain was still having problems stringing even a few words together.

"You what? Thought I didn't like you? Roxas, I've loved you since the very beginning. I've waited all this time for you to feel the same way." Axel's words surprised Roxas. _All this time? Since – since the beginning?_ He couldn't believe it. This had to be a joke. "If you – if you like me, like that, then why'd you pull away? Y'know, before, when I kissed you?" Roxas tried to make his voice hard, accusing, but it took all his effort to not stutter.

"Why?" Axel replied, brushing a stray hair away from Roxas' face. "Because I didn't expect you to be so brazen, that's why." He paused. "I didn't think you'd be the one to make the first move."

He chuckled as he noticed the blush creeping across Roxas' cheeks again.

"Come on, Rox. Let's go." Axel planted one more kiss on the blonde's forehead, then putting a hand around his waist, he led them to the Darkness Door. He smiled, looking down at the boy. "Home."


End file.
